By Junji Akechi and Kyoji Matsumoto
U.S. carrier-based aircraft began field carrier landing practice (FCLP) on Ioto, one of Tokyo’s Ogasawara Islands on May 3. Their FCLP training was conducted there for the first time since the U.S. military completed its transfer of carrier-borne aircraft [from the U.S. Navy’s Naval Air Facility Atsugi] to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni in Iwakuni City. It ended on May 25, with an extension of 12 days behind schedule due to suspension for “operational reasons.”
MCAS Iwakuni had been designated as an alternative facility where Iwakuni-based carrier-borne fighter jets were to have conducted FCLP training in case Ioto is unavailable due to bad weather or for some other reasons. In that case, local residents feared that training causing intense noise could take place at the base close to the city’s urban areas. On June 14, Mayor Yoshihiko Fukuda pointed out during a general interpellation session at the Iwakuni City Council, “There’s no need to designate the Iwakuni base as an alternative facility if training can be extended on Ioto.”
FCLP is considered training that is indispensable for carrier-based fighter jets. They repeat touch-and-go training, simulating deck landings and takeoffs. FCLP has not been conducted at MCAS Iwakuni since 2000. Iwakuni City announced that it would accept the relocation of carrier-based aircraft if the U.S. military does not conduct FCLP at the base. Despite that, the base was designated as a back-up facility.
Is there a possibility that FCLP may be conducted at MCAS Iwakuni? In mid-March, before the relocation of carrier-borne aircraft was completed, Chugoku Shimbun asked U.S. Forces Japan, headquartered in Tokyo, for an interview with a senior official. But in early June, USFJ headquarters declined the interview proposal. Chugoku Shimbun had submitted its questions, and USFJ answered the questions in written form.
USFJ, in its written reply regarding FCLP, explained that carrier-borne fighter planes “could use other facilities in Japan if Ioto is unavailable due to bad conditions.” The reply indicated the fact that the local municipality’s conditions for accepting the relocation of carrier-based aircraft take a backseat to the U.S. military’s operational reasons.
What lies behind the U.S. military’s assertion is an unsolved problem relating to the relocation of carrier-based aircraft. The Japanese government has promised the U.S. military that it will provide a facility constantly available for FCLP. In fact, however, the government has yet to decide on where to build it.
The distance from MCAS Iwakuni to Ioto is roughly 1,400 kilometers, which is 200 kilometers longer than that from NAF Atsugi to Ioto. The U.S. strongly demanded that FCLP be conducted at a place much closer to MCAS Iwakuni for safe flights to and from the training site. Tokyo and Washington in June 2011 agreed on a plan to designate Mageshima, an uninhabited island in Nishinoomote City in Kagoshima Prefecture, as a candidate site. But the government’s negotiations with the land owner for acquisition have been prolonged with no progress in sight.
There has also been strong opposition from local residents. The Ministry of Defense has not informed Nishinoomote City of how its negotiations are going. In the Nishinoomote mayoral election in March 2017, a first-time candidate opposing the plan claimed victory. Hiromi Nagano, 61, a city assembly member who belongs to a residents’ group opposing the plan, is angry and says, “Imposing roaring sounds is not tolerated.” Even if the government could acquire Mageshima, it is not clear whether it can gain approval from the local government.
As long as MCAS Iwakuni is designated as a back-up facility, the local residents fear FCLP training will continue to take place at the base. In September 2017, FCLP was carried out at NAF Atsugi in Kanagawa Prefecture, home to carrier-based aircraft at that time, due to a “typhoon.” It is not hard to imagine that MCAS Iwakuni will be the first choice [as an FCLP training site] other than Mageshima in the future.
The government should not allow FCLP at MCAS Iwakuni on its own responsibiity. It needs to secure a commitment from the U.S. [not to conduct FCLP at MCAS Iwakuni] and dispel local concerns. It should also explain how the current plan is going on, to say nothing of the necessity of a permanent facility for FCLP. The government must not decide on a place for FCLP training without consulting with local municipalities.


The project has six main objectives.
Critically review and evaluate existing collaborative geospatial tools, platforms and methodologies. Develop a collaborative geospatial platform with an interface that is accessible and appropriate for a range of landscape stakeholders. Identify community level landscape-livelihood-climate stressor interactions. Identify capacity for multi-stakeholder knowledge sharing into the collaborative geospatial platform. Evaluate the effectiveness of the collaborative geospatial platform for promoting community and multi-stakeholder exchange and engagement with landscape knowledge. Identify co-adaptation pathways for communities within the landscape to build climate resilience and enhance environmental livelihood security (ELS).


Abstract
There is a fierce debate about nonsmokers-only hiring policies, also referred to as no-nicotine hiring policies and “tobacco free” hiring policies. The favorable outcomes of no-nicotine hiring policies include reduced health costs, improved worker productivity, enhanced organizational image, and symbolic messaging. The unfavorable consequences of such policies include violating personal liberty, risking a “slippery slope” to other health-compromising behaviors, exacerbating socio-economic disparities, and discriminating against smokers. No-nicotine hiring policies have not been adequately evaluated and a new approach is warranted. The new conditional employment policy for smokers is described with stipulations for the probationary period. Autonomy and fairness are frequently cited as ethical principles to analyze no-nicotine hiring policies. An analysis of ethical principles is presented for no-nicotine hiring policies and the new conditional employment policy. The ethical principle of fairness is rooted in the effectiveness of any policy. Therefore, an evaluation plan is described for the conditional employment policy to assess effectiveness and efficiency. The proposed policy provides a powerful incentive to overcome smoking addictions, preserve the ethical principles of autonomy and fairness, as well as bridge the divide between personal liberty and personal responsibility.
Keywords Hiring policies health promotion nonsmoking hiring policies smokers workplace ASJC Scopus subject areas Social Psychology Psychology(all)


Our own research as a sector and evidence through the schooling system indicates that qualifications are not necessarily the main contributor to quality early learning and education outcomes. As a result, the last National ECD CoP of the year focused on aspects of training and support that make a significant difference in strengthening the workforce, apart from qualifications.


Central Bank publishes research examining ATM withdrawals and use of cash before and after the pandemic
Prior to the pandemic, the average monthly value of ATM withdrawals was around €1.5 billion. Withdrawals have moved in a narrow range since June 2020, with an average monthly value of about €1 billion. The value of ATM withdrawals in June 2022 was 7% higher than in September 2021, suggesting consumers are withdrawing larger amounts in response to inflationary increases. Both the number and value of ATM withdrawals fell during periods of stricter Covid-19 public health restrictions and increased when restrictions were less stringent.
The Central Bank of Ireland has today (13 October 2022) published an Economic Letter, “ATM Cash Withdrawals Before, During, and After the Covid-19 Pandemic”. Authored by David Cronin and Niall McInerney, the paper examines changes in the value and volume of monthly ATM cash withdrawals since 2015, with a particular focus on the period of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Letter finds that, despite a rise in card payments in recent years, a steady demand for ATM cash transactions remains clear. The average value of ATM withdrawals was broadly unchanging prior to the pandemic. Average monthly withdrawals amounted to €1.51bn per month between January 2015 and February 2020. Following the imposition of a strict lockdown due to the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in mid-March 2020, ATM withdrawals declined sharply, before recovering. Monthly ATM withdrawals averaged €1.04bn from June 2020 to June 2022. The research also finds that the value of withdrawals has been increasing in line with higher rates of inflation. The amount withdrawn in June 2022 was 7% higher than in September 2021, reflecting the percentage value increase in the Consumer Price Index.
In terms of volume, the Letter finds that the number of ATM withdrawals also declined in spring 2020. However, the number of monthly ATM withdrawals has been rising since January 2021. During that month, 5.23 million withdrawals were made, compared with 7.95 million withdrawals in June 2022. The Letter indicates that the change in the value and volume of monthly withdrawals appears to reflect the stringency of public health measures in place to contain the spread of Covid-19. Economic activity, particularly in physical locations where cash is used, would have been constrained during periods of tighter restrictions. Accordingly, during periods when restrictions were relaxed, ATM activity increased.
ENDS Notes to Editor
Economic Letters – Full Series


March 2021 PDF 110k Download Overview Based on the mba.com Prospective Students Survey, this infographic shares highlights of the report “Enrolling the Incoming Class of 2021.” The report analyzes the data collected between July and December 2020 from a total of 2,515 individuals worldwide. It provides insights into diverse journeys of prospective students planning to pursue graduate management education (GME) in 2021. The findings suggest that demand for GME continues to accelerate as the concerns about the impact of COVID-19 wane. Additionally, candidates are signaling a willingness to explore different paths to pursue GME as a part of their career goals. The results reaffirm the importance of monitoring and tracking the diverse candidate journeys to inform future enrollment strategies. Access the full report and summary blog


Playgrounds can be magical places that allow children and families to engage in physical activities while exercising their imagination. Most parents allow their children to experience the fun and thrills of a playground believing that the environment is safe. However, when children are testing their physical limits by climbing, jumping, swinging, or sliding, accidents could occur. When the playground equipment is defective or in disrepair, the danger to children increases.
Playground Death and Injury Statistics
Playgrounds are meant to be fun places where children could engage in playful physical exercise. Unfortunately, playgrounds present various hazards, resulting in many injuries.
On average, over 200,000 children a year require emergency room care due to a playground-related injury. Out of those injured children, 15 children a year suffer fatal injuries. Nearly 80% of all injuries involve falls. 90% of the most severe injuries are the resulting from falling from a significant height. 58% of playground deaths are caused by asphyxiation. 23% of injuries occur on home equipment Public playgrounds and schools account for 76% of injuries. Male children make up 62% of children killed on playground equipment. 46% of injuries are to children between the ages of 10 and 14. 49% of head and face injuries occur to children four years and younger. 10 Most Dangerous Pieces of Playground Equipment
Playgrounds provide a variety of obstacles and equipment to engage children in games of physical play. However, even though there have been great strides in reducing the risks playground equipment presents to children, there are some inherently dangerous pieces of equipment that are still regularly found in playgrounds.
Metal Slides
Most slides present little danger if they meet specific regulations. However, metal slides can become dangerously hot in the summer sun. A child could suffer a second-degree burn from a hot metal surface. Furthermore, some older slides are at a significant height that could result in a serious injury if a child falls from the top.
Merry-Go-Rounds
Believe it or not, merry-go-rounds are one of the most dangerous rides for young children. These large rides spin around, potentially causing severe injuries to a child who falls from a horse or other apparatus. Some merry-go-rounds include equipment that allows children to spin around. If spun too fast, a child could be thrown from the ride.
Tetherball Poles
A tetherball is a tall pole with a ball attached by a long rope. The ball will swing around the pole, allowing children to hit it in one direction or the other. Many injuries occur when a ball is swinging at a fast speed and strikes a child’s head, back, or chest.
Seesaws
This classic piece of playground equipment allows children to sit on each end, raising and lowering each other in succession. When there is a significant disparity in weight, a smaller child could be thrown from the device.
Jungle Gyms
These fixtures at most playgrounds allow children to climb and swing freely. However, many injuries occur when a child is not physically capable of safely navigating the various challenges. A lack of parental supervision is a common factor in jungle gym injuries.
Sandboxes
Few pieces of playground equipment appear safer than sandboxes. However, if not thoroughly cleaned and maintained, sandboxes are a breeding ground for bacteria. Many children contract illnesses and diseases from sandboxes across the country.
Monkey Bars
Monkey bars are another staple in many playgrounds. Similar to jungle gyms, this piece of exercise equipment should only be used by older children and under supervision. Depending on the height of the bars, a fall could severely injury a child, including fractures or concussions.
Ball Pits
Usually found in indoor playgrounds or amusement centers, ball pits present several hazardous. First, if not cleaned regularly, ball pits could spread disease-causing bacteria like a sandbox. Additionally, children often jump into a ball pit without confirming that another child is not hidden beneath the balls.
Trampolines
Trampolines are usually found in a person’s yard but are still installed in some playgrounds. When a trampoline lacks safety netting or too many children are jumping on it at one time, injuries are likely to occur.
Rings
Rings attached to long chains can provide a fun way to get physical exercise. However, many children lack the proper upper body strength to use rings safely. When someone lacks the skill or strength to properly use rings, they could easily fall and injure their head, neck, or back.
What is the Leading Cause of Playground Deaths?
Approximately 45% of playground injuries include fractures, concussions, internal injuries, and dislocations. Unfortunately, a small percentage of children are killed while enjoying playground equipment. About 56% of these children died of strangulation or asphyxiation. 20% suffered a fatal injury when falling from playground equipment.
What Age Group has the Highest Rate of Playground Injuries?
Over half of all playground-related injuries are suffered by children between the ages of five and nine. Many of these injuries occur on play equipment in schoolyards. The most common injuries are to a child’s hand or arm. Children under the age of four are more likely to suffer head and face injuries.
How Can Playground Injuries be Prevented?
Many playground injuries are preventable. As a parent, it is important to inspect the equipment for visible hazards such as open S hooks, rust, or other defects. Additionally, all equipment should be used properly – this means one person on a swing at a time, waiting for turns on slides, not jumping from the equipment, and avoiding pushing or roughhousing on the equipment. Appropriate clothing should also be worn, avoiding items or jewelry (especially necklaces) that could get caught up in the equipment. Younger children should also be properly supervised at all times – it only takes a fleeting moment for a life-changing accident to occur.
If your child has been injured in a playground-related accident, contact the Philadelphia personal injury attorneys at the Reiff Law Firm at (215) 709-6940 to discuss your legal rights and options.


PhD, University of Hawaii at Manoa
Rebecca Wilson, PhD, Assistant Professor, is a clinical health psychologist with expertise in guiding patients in lifestyle changes to prevent or manage chronic medical illnesses. Her specialized approach integrates cognitive, behavioral, and motivational strategies to provide treatments tailored to the challenges patients experience when trying to implement medical recommendations into their daily lives. She is currently contributing to the evidence base for behavioral treatments by serving as a lead interventionist in a multi-site behavioral trial aimed at testing a whether a lifestyle treatment can produce a sustained remission in the metabolic syndrome.


What is tendinopathy?
A variety of painful conditions that occur in and around tendons in response to overuse. Tendons are rope-like tissues that attach muscle to bone. For example, your achilles tendon connects your calf muscle to your heel bone. Some of the most common tendons where we see tendinopathy would be: achilles (heel), patellar (knee)and rotator cuff (shoulder). With overuse, tiny tears can be build up within the tendon.
What are the causes of tendinopathy?
Usually it is caused by an overuse of one of your tendons from repetitive actions. This could include participating in sports with a lot of jumping or overhead movements. Sometimes incorrect training might be the cause. For example, this could include increasing your training too quickly, lack of a warm-up or cool-down or not allowing your muscles to recover enough between workouts. Simple tasks like gardening, shovelling, painting or typing could lead to a tendinopathy.
What signs or symptoms might I have?
You could experience pain, weakness, tendon thickening, stiffness, swelling and reduced function. Reduced function means that your daily activities (work or leisure) might be challenging. Relatively easy activities like doing stairs, taking a walk, reaching overhead, grasping objects or typing at a computer might become difficult.
Who might be at risk for developing tendinopathy?
-athletes
-people who do repetitive tasks
-those with reduced strength or mobility
-certain medical conditions or medications might put you at risk
-the condition becomes more likely as we get older
How can physiotherapy help?
Your therapist would first do a full assessment of your condition. Then they would discuss a treatment plan specifically for you since everyone's presentation is unique. Education about managing your condition and following your treatment plan is very important. Early diagnosis of your condition might help to heal it more quickly, before it becomes chronic.
Physiotherapy treatment could include any of the following
:-manual therapy, mobility work, heat/ice, rest if appropriate, eccentric strengthening exercises, taping, a home exercise program, focused education and activity pacing.


“I am very proud of Afnan and thankful for the opportunity which will help fulfil her dreams. I believe we had to fight through some terrible days to now see the best days for her life” Afnan’s mother concluded.
Education as a Platform for Resilience, Respect, Enthusiasm and Creativity
“We were four daughters to take care of when my father lost his job. I was in a situation where we were unable to afford my education and the time I could spend at school, was spent at home.” 11-year-old Afnan recalls the time she had to drop out from her previous school. It was a notable gap of one and half years when she secured admission at the First Assalam School. Afnan expressed her mixed feelings of excitement and nervousness at the time of joining the school after long. She recalls the moment of entering her grade 4 classroom to be a very pleasant moment. “She recognizes the School as a comfortable premise where her distinct personality is being modelled for her betterment.” Afnan’s mother added.
Afnan mentions Mathematics being her favourite subject and cherishes a dream of becoming a police officer to serve the country. “Afnan has undoubtedly progressed in critical thinking, problem-solving and inductive reasoning skills at school. She is passionate about obtaining education and is extremely competent at debating as well” her teacher added.
The Assalam Schools have presented the platform to such children to develop necessary skills, attributes and attitudes through education – such as resilience, respect, enthusiasm and creativity.


The coronavirus crisis began to reach global dimensions at the start of 2020. Health, but also economic and social crises affect countries with varying intensity, depending on their situation and prior vulnerabilities. The interweaving of long crises combined with various tensions (such as environmental, political, economic) and the consequences of the pandemic has important consequences for all workers. This is particularly true for young people in Africa, where youths are generally in a more difficult position than the elders, facing more uncertain prospects for finding decent work. Young people, especially young women, are particularly sensitive to crises and even more so when they are poorly qualified and live in rural areas where infrastructure is scarce. Some crises, such as economic, environmental and conflict-related crises, are structural and can sometimes last for decades. This forces young people to adapt and develop survival strategies which often turn out to be risky or even dangerous.
This paper reports on the impact of crises on youth employment in Africa, taking into account different types of crises and analyzing their structural context and offering recommendations on how policies should be tailored to the specific needs of groups whose employment is most affected.
clicking the download buttonson the right.


ORCID
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5126-3009
Date of Award
Spring 5-15-2017
Additional Affiliations
Olin Business School
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Degree Type
Dissertation
Abstract
Despite the long-term benefits of establishing a founding team with diverse functional knowledge, many entrepreneurs assemble a team of cofounders who are homogenous with respect to functional background. I examine this phenomenon in two empirical settings. First, in a university incubator program that brings together faculty, students, and outside community members, I use survey and audio data to examine the team formation process. I found that entrepreneurs initiate contact with a range of potential cofounders: some of whom possess functional knowledge that is different from the entrepreneur and others who share the same functional background as the entrepreneur. However, conditional upon being approached by an entrepreneur, potential cofounders are more likely to join a functionally similar entrepreneur than a functionally dissimilar entrepreneur because potential cofounders view functionally similar entrepreneurs as more instrumentally attractive (i.e., competent) and interpersonally attractive (i.e., likeable). Cofounders' feelings of attraction to the entrepreneur and the venture idea, in turn, influence which venture they choose to join. Second, I supplement this initial study with a quasi-experiment conducted at a local entrepreneur meetup event designed to test one of the proposed mechanisms underlying cofounders' attraction to functionally similar entrepreneurs. In this study, I employ the speed dating research paradigm from the romantic relationships literature to manipulate cofounders' social identity. I found that cofounders who invoke a broader superordinate social identity (i.e., seeing themselves as an entrepreneur) are more interpersonally attracted to functionally dissimilar entrepreneurs compared with cofounders who invoke a narrower functional identity (e.g., as a software developer). Together, these findings suggest that functional homophily in founding teams is influenced by potential cofounders' preference to work with functionally similar entrepreneurs and that cofounders' feelings of interpersonal attraction toward functionally dissimilar entrepreneurs can be enhanced by invoking a broader superordinate identity. This dissertation contributes to our understanding of new venture team formation, resource acquisition, and choice homophily.
Language
English (en)
Chair and Committee
Stuart Bunderson
Committee Members
Andrew Knight, Raymond Sparrowe, Hillary Elfenbein, Laura Huang,
Recommended Citation
Gray, Steven Michael, "Exploring the Puzzle of Functional Homophily in New Venture Founding Teams" (2017).
Arts & Sciences Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 1160. https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/art_sci_etds/1160


Nearly 23 million people worldwide are affected by heart failure every day, and the risk is known to rise with advancing age. Additionally, 5% of these patients have advanced diseases.
Additionally, many patients suffer from severe biventricular failure or other conditions like significant recent infarctions, uncontrollable arrhythmias, post-infarction ventricular septal defects, or complicated native valve disease. This makes it difficult to implant left ventricular assist devices. As the leading cause of death worldwide, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are another factor.
Coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, rheumatic heart disease, and other conditions are included in the heart and blood vessel disorders known as CVDs. Heart attacks and strokes account for four out of every five CVD deaths, and one-third of these deaths happen before age 60. Additionally, not everyone needing a heart transplant can find a suitable donor heart in time due to the still-limited global supply of donor hearts.
A recent innovation that most benefits serious heart patients are the total artificial heart (TAH), a bionic heart. A total artificial heart (TAH) is a surgically implanted pump to provide circulation and replace diseased or damaged heart ventricles. A mechanical pump called an artificial heart is used to temporarily or permanently replace a damaged heart.
TAH is a pneumatically powered artificial heart that replaces the patient’s natural ventricles and valves as part of a mechanical circulatory support system. These artificial hearts have been used temporarily and permanently to replace failing human hearts. Patients have spent more than 4.5 years living on the TAH. The following are additional benefits:
Advantages If a heart transplant is impossible, a bionic heart can permanently replace the human heart. TAH is easily reachable in times of need (no waitlist). Immunoglobulin levels or blood type are no restrictions. It is biocompatible with the body and does not require matching. TAH can be implanted in the patient’s body to save the human heart without needing anti-rejection drugs and waiting for a donor’s heart. The body’s immune system does not reject artificial hearts as their main benefit. This is because, unlike a donor’s heart, they are made of metals or plastic, which the body does not recognize as “foreign” and attacks similar to how it does with living tissue. Patients as young as nine and as old as 80 have received support from bionic hearts. Patients may live an additional month or even up to five years after receiving an artificial heart transplant. Since there aren’t enough donated real hearts, artificial hearts could take their place. Disadvantages Bleeding and infection are risks associated with surgery to fit an artificial heart. Artificial hearts don’t function as well as real ones because their components could break or the electric motor malfunction. Artificial hearts have less efficient blood flow, resulting in blood clots and strokes. The patient must take medications to thin their blood to prevent this from happening, which may cause bleeding issues if injured in an accident. Only one artificial heart has been given U.S. approval for use in people, and even then, its maker calls it a temporary solution. Artificial hearts have often been seen as temporary solutions to help ill patients while they wait for a human heart transplant. It can be used by patients who aren’t qualified for or awaiting a human transplant and is made to last up to five years. Some women and children should avoid it because it is larger than the average human heart. The heart battery must be recharged twice daily, or the heart will stop beating. The cost of producing each artificial heart ranges between £50,000 and £100,000 (pounds), requiring TAH maintenance.


Cover Picture: Wound healing is one of the most complex processes in the human body, supported by many cellular events that are tightly coordinated to repair the wound efficiently. Chronic wounds have potentially life-threatening consequences. Traditional wound dressings come in direct contact with the wounds to help them heal and avoid further complications. However, traditional wound dressings have some limitations. These dressings do not provide real-time information on wound conditions, leading clinicians to miss the best time for adjusting treatment. Moreover, the current diagnosis of wounds is relatively subjective. Wearable electronics have become a unique platform to potentially monitor wound conditions in a continuous manner accurately and even to serve as accelerated healing vehicles. In this review, we briefly discuss the wound status with some objective parameters and biomarkers influencing wound healing, followed by the presentation of various novel wearable devices used for monitoring wounds and accelerating wound healing. We further summarize the associated device working principles. This review concludes by highlighting some major challenges in wearable devices toward wound healing that need to be addressed by the research community. view this paper


This manual introduces a concept of trauma and offers a framework for becoming a trauma-informed organization, system, or service sector. The manual provides a definition of trauma and a trauma-informed approach, and offers 6 key principles and 10 implementation domains.
This guide addresses specific treatment needs of adult men living with substance use disorders. It reviews gender-specific research and best practices, such as common patterns of substance use among men and specific treatment issues and strategies.
This manual provides guidelines in screening and assessing teens for substance use conditions. It covers confidentiality laws, and screening and assessment in juvenile justice settings. The manual also includes screening and assessment tools.


Are you experiencing pain on your lower back? It might be lumbar (lower back) muscle strain. The lower back supports the weight of the upper body and is involved in moving, twisting, and bending. This makes it prone to muscle strains and sprains.
As a provider of home health care in Woburn, Massachusetts we often encounter patients who experience the following symptoms:
Lower back pain that may radiate into the buttocks but does not affect the legs Restricted range of motion due to stiffness in the lower back Inability to maintain normal posture due to stiffness Pain that persists for a maximum of 10-14 days Muscle spasms either with activity or at rest
You should seek medical attention if you start experiencing symptoms, such as severe abdominal pain, unexplained pain, and loss of control of your bowel or bladder.
Lumbar muscle strain can usually be treated with medication if the pain is mild to moderate. Otherwise, your doctor may recommend physical therapy. Avoid bed rest as this can lead to a loss of muscle strength and increase muscle stiffness.
In need of a physical therapist in the comfort of your own home? You may benefit from home care in Massachusetts. We at EdgeLIFE Healthcare, Inc. will ensure that you have the best professional client-centered care.
We also provide other services such as skilled nursing, homemaking, home health aides, and senior care.


Oregon Pacific Bank Announces First Quarter Earnings Results Florence, Ore., April 19, 2022 – Oregon Pacific Bancorp (ORPB), the holding company of Oregon Pacific Bank, today reported financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2022. Highlights: First quarter net income of $1.4 million; $0.20 per diluted share Non-PPP loan growth of $19.2 million or 20.08% annually Deposit growth of $17.7 million or 11.61% annually Trust assets under management growth of $20.1 million or 40.55% annually
View full financial tables: MAR-Statement-of-Condition-Q1-2022.pdf (opbc.com)
Net income for the first quarter was $1.4 million, or $0.20 per diluted share, compared to $2.0 million, or $0.28 per diluted share for the quarter ended March 31, 2021. The Bank continued to see Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) forgiveness payments processed during the first quarter, but the PPP interest and fees decreased substantially to $205 thousand, down from $1.5 million recognized in first quarter 2021. During the quarter the Bank saw outstanding PPP loans reduce to $4.8 million. As of March 31, 2022, unamortized PPP fee income totaled $141 thousand.
Period-end non-PPP loans, net of deferred loan origination fees, totaled $407.4 million, with growth of $19.2 million, which represented an annualized growth rate of 20.08%. The Bank continued to experience non-PPP loan demand, but pricing pressures remain strong. The first quarter effective yield on the non-PPP loan portfolio lowered to 4.37%, down from 4.47% in fourth quarter, primarily related to new production occurring at rates below the current effective yield of the portfolio.
“We are pleased to post strong quarterly earnings as we see the financial benefits of the PPP loan program lessen in relation to the Bank’s overall profitability,” said Ron Green, President and CEO. “Our board and management team have understood the temporary nature of the PPP fee income and have worked to enhance our noninterest income sources, primarily through Trust Services and Wealth Management.”
During the quarter, the Bank saw a decrease in classified assets totaling $2.4 million. This decrease was primarily attributable to upgrades of two loan relationships and one loan payoff. The payoff was related to a commercial relationship that was downgraded in the prior fiscal year.
First quarter 2022 deposit growth totaled $17.7 million. While the Bank did not experience deposit contraction during the first quarter, the possibility of this will grow as depositors react to the changing interest rate environment. The Bank maintained first quarter cost of funds totaling 0.07% and did not make any rate adjustments following the change in the fed funds rate. The Bank also continues to maintain $116.2 million of additional off-balance sheet deposits in the IntraFi Network’s Insured Cash Sweep (ICS) and CDARS products. The off-balance sheet deposits remain a source of liquidity, with the ICS deposits available on demand and the CDARs deposits with a maximum maturity of four weeks.
During first quarter 2022 the Bank continued to shift interest-bearing balances with the Federal Reserve into higher yielding securities to augment the net interest margin. First quarter securities purchases totaled $40.5 million with a weighted average maturity of 3.35 years and a weighted average yield of 1.76%. Securities purchases were offset by portfolio amortization and an increase in the unrealized loss on the securities portfolio. The March 31, 2022, unrealized loss on the securities portfolio grew to $6.3. million. This compared to an unrealized gain of $52 thousand on December 31, 2021. The Bank’s securities portfolio is classified as available-for-sale and is marked to market monthly. The changing yield curve has caused many of the investments purchased during 2021 to be at rates below the current market rate for similar securities. The Bank will benefit from the variable rate securities in the portfolio in a rising rate environment. As of March 31, 2022, approximately 30% of the securities are subject to monthly of quarter rate resets, which will enhance the Bank’s interest income moving forward.
First quarter 2022 noninterest income totaled $1.6 million, which represented a decrease of $117 thousand from fourth quarter 2021. The decrease in revenue is partially attributable to a reduction in mortgage loan sales. With increased mortgage rates, refinance activity decreased, leading to lower quarterly income. The Bank also saw a small reduction in income attributable to Oregon Pacific Wealth Management LLC, (OPWM) the wholly owned Registered Investment Advisory subsidiary of the Bank. Market fluctuations in assets contributed to a reduction in assets under management, which is directly tied to the fee income recognized through OPWM.
Noninterest expense in the first quarter totaled $4.5 million, up $208 thousand over fourth quarter 2021. The largest increase occurred in the salaries and employee benefits category, which was partially due to 401k/profit sharing expense, which was up $112 thousand over fourth quarter 2021. The Bank has a safe harbor 401k plan, and in 2022, the Bank implemented a new profit-sharing component, which is tied to overall Company profitability. The Bank is continuing to see pressure on wages due to competition for employees and will continue to evaluate overall compensation to ensure retention of key employees. Additionally, payroll tax expense was up $60 thousand over fourth quarter 2021 as payroll tax calculators are reset on an annual basis. The Bank currently anticipates this expense to decrease as the year progresses.
Forward-Looking Statement Safe Harbor
This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (“PSLRA”). These statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. Forward-looking statements often use words such as “anticipates,” “targets,” “expects,” “estimates,” “intends,” “plans,” “goals,” “believes” and other similar expressions or future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “should,” “would” and “could.” The forward-looking statements made represent Oregon Pacific Bank’s current estimates, projections, expectations, plans or forecasts of its future results and revenues, including but not limited to statements about performance, loan or deposit growth, loan prepayments, investment purchases, strategic focus, capital position, liquidity, credit quality, special asset liquidation, noninterest expense and credit quality trends. These statements are not guarantees of future results or performance and involve certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict and are often beyond Oregon Pacific Bank’s control. Actual outcomes and results may differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, any of these forward-looking statements. You should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statement and should consider all of the following uncertainties and risks. Oregon Pacific Bancorp undertakes no obligation to publicly revise or update any forward-looking statement to reflect the impact of events or circumstances that arise after the date of this release. This statement is included for the express purpose of invoking the PSLRA’s safe harbor provisions.


Learner Agency
Learners will experience a choice of pathways and maintain a strong voice in program design.
Equity
All learners will have access to pathways, including those disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 and those historically underrepresented in technology.
Relevance
Learners will grapple with complex, industry-relevant, real-world challenges, through problem-based learning.
Connection
Learners will receive guidance and support from knowledgeable, caring adults, and comprehensive, up-to-date tools to navigate pathways.
Transformation
Learners will inform state and district leaders on how to redesign systems and create policies that respond to industry needs, support interdistrict collaboration, and enable competency-based learning.
SparkNC Design Principles
SparkNC’s five design principles guide our work and shape our decisions about goals, projects, strategies, and partnerships.
What is SparkNC?
Too few learners know about high-tech jobs that will dominate the future job market. Even fewer see pathways for themselves into those jobs.
SparkNC is a revolutionary effort to help our learners engage with high-tech fields like artificial intelligence and machine learning, software development, computer systems engineering, and cybersecurity. Through our interdistrict network, learners will have opportunities to explore these fields and collaboratively prepare for modern work. SparkNC is a completely new way to do school: learner-centered, industry-relevant, and competency-based.
Discovery
Help learners new to high-tech fields see pathways as possible and accessible, with a focus on increasing engagement among women and students of color; extend exploration of pathways through activities like interacting with professionals in high-tech jobs, engaging in survey courses, and participating in tech-focused design challenges
Experience
Provide opportunities for deeper learning through direct work on high-tech issues, with peers and experts in the field, addressing real world challenges; develop modular experiences for learners to engage with relevant content and progress toward mastery
Career Navigation
Support learners in choosing among opportunities leading to diplomas, college credit, badges, micro- credentials, certificates, or other industry-relevant credentials; build relationships with high-tech employers to strengthen learners’ preparation and accelerate their progress into successful high-tech careers
Our Learning Continuum
SparkNC will accelerate learners’ progress along this continuum and prepare them for future opportunities in high-tech fields.


Abstract
Background: The increased incidence and geographic expansion of Lyme disease has made it the most common vector-borne infection in North America. Posttreatment Lyme disease syndrome (PTLDS) represents a subset of patients who remain ill following standard antibiotic therapy for Lyme disease. The spectrum of symptoms and their impact on quality of life remain largely unexplored among patients with well-documented PTLDS. Objective: To characterize a case series of patients with well-documented PTLDS compared to a sample of healthy controls. Methods: Sixty-one participants met the proposed case definition for PTLDS. Twenty-six healthy controls had neither a clinical history of Lyme disease nor current antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi. Participants with PTLDS and controls were evaluated by physical exam, clinical laboratory testing, standardized questionnaires, and a 36-item current symptom list. Results: Compared to controls, participants with PTLDS reported significantly greater fatigue, pain, sleep disturbance, and depression (Fatigue Severity Scale: 50.0 ± 10.6 vs. 19.8 ± 8.6; Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire: 13.7 ± 8.3 vs. 0.8 ± 1.9; Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index: 10.1 ± 4.7 vs. 4.1 ± 2.1; Beck Depression Inventory-II: 15.1 ± 7.7 vs. 2.2 ± 3.2; p < 0.001 for each), and significantly lower quality of life (SF-36 Physical Component Score: 33.9 ± 9.7 vs. 55.1 ± 6.2; Mental Component Score: 42.9 ± 10.1 vs. 54.2 ± 5.4; p < 0.001 for each). Nineteen non-PTLDS-defining symptoms were found to be significantly more severe among participants with PTLDS than controls, including sleep difficultly and visual complaints. Initial delayed or misdiagnosis was characterized in 59.0% of participants with PTLDS, and 32.2% had abnormal vibratory sense. Conclusion: Although physical exam and clinical laboratory tests showed few objective abnormalities, standardized symptom questionnaires revealed that patients with PTLDS are highly and clinically significantly symptomatic, with poor health-related quality of life. PTLDS patients exhibited levels of fatigue, musculoskeletal pain, sleep disturbance, and depression which were both clinically relevant and statistically significantly higher than controls. Our study shows that PTLDS can be successfully identified using a systematic approach to diagnosis and symptom measurement. As the prevalence of PTLDS continues to rise, there will be an increased need for physician education to more effectively identify and manage PTLDS as part of integrated patient care.
Keywords Case series Lyme disease Posttreatment Lyme disease syndrome Quality of life Signs and symptoms ASJC Scopus subject areas Medicine(all)


Investigator: Dave Beauchamp (USGS)
Size-selective mortality has been widely reported during the juvenile stages of many species in marine environments and can be the predominant force affecting marine survival and adult abundance. Strong size-selective mortality has been reported for most species of Pacific salmon during their early marine phase. Evidence of strong size-selective mortality for hatchery Chinook salmon in Puget Sound and coho salmon in the Strait of Georgia has linked higher adult returns to larger sizes achieved during early months of marine life, highlighting the importance of understanding the relationship between early marine growth periods and overall marine survival. This relationship likely varies over time and by life stage, life history type, or geographic area.
This project compares the scale-based growth patterns of the juvenile Chinook and coho sampled during outmigration years 2014 and 2015 with the juvenile growth patterns of the adult Chinook and coho that survived to return from these cohorts. From this analysis, project investigators can determine the magnitude of size-selective mortality based on stage-specific growth and identify the periods and conditions when growth or size of the juveniles that survived to adulthood diverged from the remainder of the juvenile population. Additionally, the early marine diet composition of coho will be examined to determine the critical prey sources fueling their growth, diet overlap, and potential for competition with juvenile Chinook and other juvenile salmon, herring, and forage fishes. This work will further our understanding of the critical periods and underlying processes that influence marine survival of Chinook and coho salmon in Puget Sound.


Executive Summary
Kakamega County has many shared natural water ecosystems. In the face of the climate crisis, biodiversity loss and pollution, sustainable management and conservation of these resources is critical for human survival. Poor water infrastructure, pollution, and deforestation are some of the challenges hindering sustainable water resource development, utilisation and conservation in Kakamega County. A study conducted by Econews Africa examines the state of management and conservation of shared water ecosystems in the County. The study highlights the gaps and challenges, and proposes possible policy actions for the attainment of sustainable water resource management and conservation in the County.
The findings of this study are crucial in demonstrating the state of water management and conservation in the County, and equipping decision-makers with the necessary evidence to act. The key findings in summary are:
The county has numerous shared water resources which include rivers, streams and springs One of the main rivers is River Yala originating from Nandi Hills Condition of the shared water resource is characterised by pollution, neglect of water catchments areas and fluctuating water levels There are weaknesses in water governance There are conflicts emanating from shared water resources mainly related to access and use
For more information, Click the link below


September 16, 2021
Author: Angela Trotter, M.S., CNS, AFMCP, Clinical Functional Nutritionist We are learning that implementing integrative therapies alongside conventional treatment can increase healing benefits and treatment outcomes for cancer patients. Although each individual will have a unique presentation, the main goal of supporting individuals undergoing conventional cancer treatment is to ultimately support the tissue environment and create a resilient body to optimize recovery, decrease the risk of recurrence and support overall wellness.
This tissue environment is impacted by underlying imbalances such as overall inflammation, blood sugar, insulin resistance, and hormonal imbalances. There are various ways we can address these imbalances specifically, but our initial goal would be to lay a foundation of support through
lifestyle ways that have been shown to be impactful.
In the field of psychoneuroimmunology, we are seeing how impactful chronic stress is on our overall health. I heard the statement once, “stress unravels health”, to me, this one statement precisely states our need to first address stress so that additional interventions can be fully effective. Stress is pervasive in our world, so much so that we need to be mindful of actively implementing ways to decrease our stress.
Two lifestyle factors that we can address to reduce our stress are through exercise, and implementing a dietary approach that addresses underlying health concerns that can be greatly impacted via dietary intake.
Below I will briefly outline the 3 most impactful ways we can support the mind-body to prevent, or reduce cancer expression alongside conventional treatment:
1. Stress Management – the goal would be to become more aware of how much stress we have in our day-to-day lives. Then actively start shifting our relationship to stress and implementing specific mind-body tools to reduce our chronic stress. Obtaining support through therapy for stress management, healing trauma, and relational support would be a great avenue for reducing chronic stress. Other mind-body supports for stress include yoga and massage.
2. Exercise – exercise can be a powerful tool for preventing cancer, and also supporting those undergoing cancer treatment. Exercise is also effective at reducing stress, reducing inflammation, increases insulin sensitivity, and supporting the body in more effectively utilizing blood glucose. The recommendation is 30 minutes of aerobic exercise 3x per week, and 30 minutes of weight training 2x per week.
3. Dietary Intervention – dietary intervention can be another powerful tool, shown to reduce the risk by 30%, while also playing a role in reducing the risk of reoccurrence. Below I will provide a few dietary suggestions that are the most evidenced-based approaches that are foundational in most dietary interventions when it comes to supporting cancer.
a
. Caloric Intake – during treatment we want to ensure that individuals are getting adequate nutrient intake since appetite can be affected during treatment. So the goal for individuals undergoing treatment and experiencing a loss of appetite would be to ensure they are getting adequate dietary intake. However, for those wanting to prevent cancer, it is suggested that a reduction in caloric intake, without malnutrition, can play a role in proper weight maintenance to reduce the risk of cancer.
b. Increased Con
sumption of Plant-Based Foods – ultimately we see that an increase in foods found in a plant-based diet like nuts, seeds, legumes, healthy oils, fruits, and an abundance of vegetables has been shown most effective for controlling inflammation and regulating blood sugar. So getting more plant-based protein can be a good start. c. Decrease Intake of Ultra Processed Foods – Being mindful of foods that are high in refined sugars like high fructose corn syrup, and foods high in processed fats like hydrogenated fats and oils. These ingredients are commonly found in our processed junk foods. These foods are devoid of nutrition and will therefore create more inflammation in the body.
It is powerful how we can influence our bodies toward healing. These dietary and lifestyle interventions can have a powerful epigenetic influence, where those with a predisposed genetic risk can greatly influence their genetic
expression with these interventions. Author: Angela Trotter, M.S., CNS, AFMCP, Clinical Functional Nutritionist *Please Note: The information provided on or through this website or blog is for educational and informational purposes only and solely as a self-help tool for your own use. Engaging with this material does not constitute a client/therapist relationship*


Research Article
Published: 21 October, 2019 | Volume 4 - Issue 3 | Pages: 164-170
Purpose: This study reports resource utilization during a Medicare Beneficiary’s (MBs) Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) index hospitalization and all subsequent encounters for 12 months and compares data between MBs who did or did not receive a pacemaker implantation (PPM) during their index hospitalization. Method: This retrospective study examined Medicare hospital claims from January 1, 2014 through June 30, 2015. 15,533 MBs who survived for 365 days were studied. Information from all encounters during the study period was combined to compare hospital resource utilization and outcomes. Results: 14.8% of MBs had a PPM during the index hospitalization. 46.0% of MBs had at least one readmission to a hospital during the 365-day follow-up period. 54.6% of MB’s first hospital readmission occurred within 90 days of their TAVR discharge date. Average total Medicare reimbursement for all hospitalizations was $60,638 ± $28,974 associated with average total hospital length of stay of 11.2 ± 11.7 days. After adjusting for demographics and 47 comorbid conditions, MBs receiving a PPM during the index TAVR had significantly higher estimated Medicare reimbursement ($5,132) and longer total length of stay (1.8 days) for the entire study period than MBs not receiving a PPM. Conclusion: Total Medicare reimbursement and hospital LOS were significantly higher among MBs that had a PPM implantation during their index admission; however, there were no significant differences in readmission rates, readmission length of stay, or days to first readmission during the follow-up period between the two study cohorts.
TAVR; Medicare reimbursement Episode of care; Hospital resources


Many issuers have launched metal card programs beginning in the United States and now show strong growth potential internationally, including in Latin America.
This trend of «premium» products has been directed towards credit cards, where issuing banks offer an elegant metal card to their select customers as a way to differentiate themselves. In fact, financial institutions began to offer metal credit cards or hybrid versions of them, realizing the impact of prestige products in a market that promises significant potential for expansion. Metal cards have gained notoriety with demand, sometimes outstripping existing stocks.
These types of cards, issued by a trusted brand, convey attributes generally associated with “premium” products, such as high quality, superior design and style. Today, metal credit cards are still in the early stages of adoption.
Card issuers can use metal cards as a visible part of their robust rewards and benefits package to differentiate their brand and capture market segments asking for a “premium” or prestige product. This is particularly true for companies looking to attract and retain millennials.


A number of trends in the B2B sales space have disrupted, challenged, and motivated sales enablement teams this year. As the first quarter of 2022 begins, let’s understand how these macro trends and the pandemic have reshaped our function and industry.
First, the multitude of sales enablement tech acquisitions we’ve seen allows us to brag that Forrester accurately predicted 2021 to be the year of aggressive consolidation. Our prediction was rooted in our 2020 observation that purchase influencers wanted to reduce costs and consequently demanded greater value from their core partners. This was coupled with a desire to focus energy on fewer solution providers in a world where purchase influencers are forced to navigate a cacophony of messaging from content and readiness vendors whose capabilities increasingly overlap. These recent acquisitions are also a reflection of investments made in the space that have been overambitious and spread too thinly.
Our future of sales report outlines five P’s that define the future state of B2B selling and inform a “new normal” for sales enablers that’s driven by the way in which modern B2B buyers prefer to interact. First, consider that Millennial and Gen Z workers are graduating to leadership and purchase influencer roles and are holding significantly different expectations of sellers than did previous generations. They demand both instantaneous access to information and increased engagement before making purchasing decisions. Forrester’s 2021 B2B Buying Survey indicates that the buying cycle is now split 45/55 between personal and self-guided interactions; and the average number of buying interactions has surged during the pandemic: from 17 between 2017 and 2019 to 27 in 2021. A landscape of hybrid and virtual selling (physically forced by the pandemic) has been revealed, with buyers who are innately digital first and have needs and expectations that don’t align with traditional B2B sales motions. One former sales leader told us, “We saw two years of digital transformation in two months.” Yes, the transition to digital was accelerated by the pandemic, but the trend was inevitable, considering the needs of modern B2B buyers. Sales organizations must recognize that the pre-pandemic state of selling is a history, rather than a state to work back toward.
We also know that the average number of personas involved in complex B2B purchasing decisions has risen over time. Exacerbating the implications of this trend for sellers, buyers now expect a greater degree of personalization in every interaction. The advent of AI sales tech allows us to unlock a new depth of customer insights for sellers to leverage. Consequently, reps now require even greater technical savvy to effectively engage with buyers. Sales enablement functions must be agile in supporting sellers as buyer needs change, namely optimizing competencies and internal processes to reflect new priorities and expectations. Incorporating these trends into our planning assumptions for 2022, we advise sales enablement leaders to reevaluate their sales methodologies and governance of communications with the field, as well as to focus on effectively coaching reps to engage with buyers who prefer digital interactions and self-service information gathering.
Looking at our own selling populations, the “Great Resignation” has unraveled into a phenomenon employers can no longer ignore. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, American workers are quitting their jobs at record rates, and per LinkedIn data, resignations are even higher for sales professionals. While your organization works to manage record-high employee attrition, it’s essential to ensure that the new hires who inherit uncovered territories are positioned to succeed. Sales enablement should have a hand in updating the sales talent lifecycle to define the competencies needed to succeed under the new normal, partner with talent acquisition to hire reps based on those competencies, and then optimize their contributions through comprehensive onboarding and best-of-breed sales coaching.
At Summit 2021, we presented our new flagship model, the Sales Enablement Success Pathway. This model provides an updated framework for enablement functions’ core responsibilities, while considering the impact of forces such as external buyer pressures, unanticipated macroeconomic disruption, and increased internal employee pressures.
We also authored the Sales Competency Management Framework to argue for the importance of sales enablement’s influence on talent acquisition and to provide a map for identifying, developing, and evaluating the competencies necessary for a rep to succeed within a given market, buyer climate, and product offering.
As buying interactions have become increasingly complex, so has the messaging and content needed to effectively engage. In support of this, we introduced the Forrester Sales Communications Process Model to help enablement teams better manage communications with field personnel, boost rep advocacy, and diminish cognitive overload for sellers.
Our IP and current perspective on the state of sales enablement is supported by the data we’ve collected throughout the past year. Most recently, a focused survey was conducted through our partnership with the nonprofit, Sales Enablement Society. Here are a few findings from the survey that help illustrate the current state of sales enablement:
Seventy-five percent of B2B sales organizations have a dedicated sales enablement function. High-performing organizations have managed to raise the proportion of reps achieving quota by 11%, while low-performing organizations report an average decrease of 13%. Ninety-eight percent of respondents to the survey enable multiple customer-facing roles. High-performing organizations are increasing their sales enablement budget at a rate that’s twice as fast as low-performing organizations. High-performing organizations, on average, have a 1:36 ratio of sales enablement professionals to sales FTEs, compared with a 1:48 ratio for low-performing orgs. *High performing orgs are defined as greater than 70% of FTEs achieving quota in both of the past two fiscal years.
This blog was co-authored by Adam Birnberg, Research Associate.


Finance assumes a key role in shaping the digital transformation strategy for businesses today. Current trends around hyperconnectivity, cloud computing, blockchain, robotics, artificial intelligence, cyber security and circular economy play a pivotal role in shaping the future of Finance.
New and innovative business models, ambitious growth plans with a focus on Mergers and Acquisitions, efficient working capital management and gaining process efficiencies amongst a host of other possibilities are shaping the industry today.


European local authorities mobilise against radicalisation
Local and regional authorities play a key role in preventing and countering radicalisation leading to violent extremism. Because they are close to citizens, they are strategically placed to carry out targeted actions and mobilise the relevant local stakeholders. Prevention is essential in countering radicalisation and, apart from police work and legal action, prevention policies must mobilise local crime prevention partnerships.
The European Forum for Urban Security has directed or participated in over a dozen European projects on the topic of radicalisation. Currently, it is leader in the following projects: Bridge, Local voices, Loud and Prepare. It is also partner in Pactesur, Practicies and Protect.The publication
European Local Authorities are mobilising against radicalisationpresents initiatives carried out by 15 Efusmember local authorities from 9 European countries. It is meant to provide support and inspiration for other local authorities and foster the exchange of experiences.
Read the brochure
www.praeventionstag.de


This timely book offers a critical account of key governance challenges of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Illustrating China’s efforts to expand its idea of a sustainable eco-civilization, thereby ‘greening’ the BRI, it explores the disputes that have emerged from this process and subsequent complications resulting from geopolitical competition.
This innovative book examines the maritime component of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), focusing on three key trade routes and addressing the question of how China protects its overseas assets. Gerald Chan explores China’s rising maritime power, using geo-developmentalism as a theoretical framework to analyse the country’s development of port facilities and infrastructure along important trade routes. Through developing these sea routes, he argues that a new global order is in the making.
China and the United States have reached a crossroads where their economic relationship is concerned, as the shared interest in economic prosperity and complementary economic strengths that provide the common ground of industrial collaboration are threatened by increasing attention to economic facets of national security. This trend is encouraging policies which potentially undermine the basis of Sino-American industrial integration. This book explores the basis, nature and impact of evolving economic security agendas in the United States and China.
One of the most pressing policy challenges for Australia and Japan today is ensuring that China’s rise does not threaten the stability of the Asia-Pacific, while also avoiding triggering conflict with their largest trading partner. This book examines how Australian and Japanese perceptions of US primacy shape their respective views of the Asia-Pacific regional order, the robustness of Asia’s alliance system, and the future of Australia-Japan security cooperation.


The Council’s Internal Auditors had given the Spaces for People Programme in Edinburgh a RED rating. This means
“Significant Improvement Required” (See Appendix 13 of this report) . This is the second worst rating it can give.
Specifically, they conclude
“Significant and / or numerous control weaknesses were identified, in the design and / or effectiveness of the control environment and / or governance and risk management frameworks. Consequently, only limited assurance can be provided that risks are being managed and that the Council’s objectives should be achieved.”
The auditors noted the context of the Covid-19 crisis but conclude that
“proposals are not appropriately prioritised for approval, and the rationale supporting decisions is not recorded” and that these schemes “were largely based on professional judgement with limited justification available to support prioritisation outcomes…”
They also stated there was a
“public perception that feedback provided through the Commonplace survey was not considered in relation to ongoing schemes.”
These conclusions are not a surprise, as I know many residents raised these concerns with myself, and the Transport Convener often justified the approach taken when questioned.
Based on work they did in October 2020, the Auditor recommended the Council should:
ensure that prioritisation outcomes and supporting rationale are clearly documented. publish the outcomes of a retrospective prioritisation process. consider whether any changes to either completed or initiatives in progress are required based on public feedback.
The Auditors said that where possible there was a “need to align proposals with public feedback and opinion” but found that
“where public feedback was incorporated into projects, no audit trail was available to confirm that this was completed”. Again, myself and local residents have been calling for greater public engagement since summer 2020!
In terms of project delivery, the Auditors said
“no risk management process was implemented to support identification, assessment, and management of programme delivery risks.”, and that “no assessment has been performed to confirm that expected benefits have been realised”.
In terms of the Commonplace survey used to collect feedback early in the SfP Programme, the Auditors say
“data controller responsibilities have not been clarified between the Council and the application provider”.
On removing or retaining the scheme the Auditors say
“there is currently no clear strategy for determining the potential exit costs associated with reversing individual projects, or transitioning them into permanent solutions, and it is currently unclear how any significant exit costs will be funded”. They say £175,000 has been retained to complete a review of programme benefits by an external consultant, but no “supporting rationale for this retention value” and that “Management has advised that this budget allocation was defined following detailed engagement with Sustrans, however no evidence has been provided to support this”. Conclusion Although it is a little dated now, this is a damning report. It does, however, explain why the Spaces for People Programme has been so controversial in Edinburgh. Many of the points identified by the Auditor have been raised by the public many times. Whether people love Spaces for People or hate it, there can be no doubt that this damning Internal Audit judgment could have been avoided if residents were listened to. No only were the expectations of people in Edinburgh not met, the Council did not even comply with the community engagement guidance set by Sustrans.


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Abstract: Knowledge of lithospheric rheology can provide fundamental insights into crustal deformation near the Longmen Shan fault (LMSF). Based on viscoelastic deformation models constrained by interseismic geodetic observations, we obtain an optimal crustal shortening rate of 4.8 ± 0.4 mm/a across the LMSF and an upper mantle viscosity of 5.0 × 1020−21 Pa · s beneath eastern Tibet. More importantly, we find a high-viscosity zone (>1021 Pa · s) in the lower crust beneath the LMSF, where the steady-state viscosity is significantly higher than the transient viscosity derived from postseismic deformation. Further investigations with a power-law rheology suggest that, due to the stress loading of the Wenchuan earthquake and the relaxation afterwards, the effective lower crustal viscosity decreases to ∼1018 Pa · s immediately after the earthquake and finally recovers to interseismic level (∼1021 Pa · s). Our results highlight the stress-dependent behavior and the viscoelastic effect of rheological structure beneath the LMSF during the earthquake cycle.


“13-39% of all dental injuries are sports-related,” as stated in the Journal of the American Dental Association. Mouthguards are protective devices for the mouth that covers the teeth and gums to prevent and reduce injury to the teeth, jaws, arches, lips and gums1. They are designed to absorb and distribute the forces of impact received while participating in contact sports—reducing the risk of sports-related dental injuries.


Workshop summary examines the “language of genocide”
In 2014-2015, inspired by Genocide Convention author Raphael Lemkin’s connections to Duke, an interdisciplinary group of faculty and students formed a research team supported by the Silver Family Kenan Institute for Ethics Fund in Support of Bass Connections and by Humanities Writ Large. The group met regularly to examine various facets of the language of ‘genocide,’ focusing on a range arenas, including current government practices, legal uses in international courtrooms, representations in film, and its multiple meanings through psychological studies.
As a capstone to the year, on April 16, 2015 group participants hosted a day-long interdisciplinary workshop at the Kenan Institute for Ethics to explore the use of genocide terminology across the twentieth century. A summary of the workshop has been published, written by Savannah Wooten (UNC-Duke, class of 2017) and Matthew King (Duke, class 2018).


R 19,999 R 13,999
Starts 7th December
A great leader has many important qualities that contribute to their success. One of the most distinguishing characteristics of great leaders is their ability to lead by example and their sense of self-awareness. Self-leadership involves taking responsibility for the outcomes of our actions, defining a direction for our lives, and staying on top of our priorities.
Embrace leadership behaviours such as agile decision making, performance through self-mastery and engagement with others through emotional intelligence. This course will help participants internalise the four pillars of self-leadership and to make meaningful, empowered choices while taking action to get where they want to go. Develop a strong sense of self, focus, accountability and productivity while improving your organisation's success.
Upon successful completion of this course, you will be equipped to:
Address the personal challenges you may face as a budding leader.
Boost your self-awareness to make agile decisions.
Increase employee engagement in today’s digital/dynamic environment with emotional intelligence.
Understand how to improve self-direction by learning, unlearning and relearning
Enhance your personal performance through self-mastery.
Improve your personal decision making based on self-talk and self-direction.
Developing oneself as an ethical leader.
Course breakdown
Week 8: Final Assessment: Personal Leadership Development Plan
Through diverse learning activities, you will:
Engage in workshops, breakout sessions and collaborative group work
Explore practical case studies
Practise interpersonal skills in small groups under the guidance of experienced coaches
This course aims to develop the essential skills needed to successfully lead oneself, others and a business. Improve the fundamental leadership skills of individuals seeking to take ownership of their leadership journey, entrepreneurs striving to develop their leadership style and managers who engage with teams and influence others.
Leading with Impact
6 December 2022
7 December 2022
8 weeks
R 19,999
4 - 6 hours


For World Autism Awareness Week, which kicks off today, an autistic eight-year-old is challenging the harmful myths around autism and lack of emotion with an infinite broadcast of love.
The project is inspired by the unique, mathematical way William expresses his love by counting 'I Love Yous'. Lisa and the team recorded and programmed his voice to allow him to continue counting forever online, to share the "infinite love that can live inside an autistic heart". They are also sending postcards with messages of love to people at home to lift spirits in these uncertain times. Together, they hope to raise awareness around autism and love.
"When I was first told William might be on the spectrum, I was in denial because he was so emotional and loving," says Lisa, who also advocates for climate justice with her creative collective Vote For Climate or Die. "That didn't align with my idea of what autism was at the time, which meant I didn't get him the diagnosis he needed sooner. Many parents and adults I’ve met have shared similar experiences."
Dr Sebastian Gaigg of the Autism Research Group at City University London adds: "An unfortunate myth about autism is that individuals with this diagnosis have no emotions and that they somehow lack empathy. While ASD individuals may express and experience their emotions differently, it is not the case that they lack emotions altogether."
The infinite audio began this morning and has been programmed to continue counting 'I Love Yous' forever. The project's website iloveyouinfinity.com aims to raise money for the National Autistic Society. The team is also collecting and sharing real ASD stories of love submitted by followers on Instagram.
"When we started this project we had no idea what the world would be like by the time we finished," Lisa continues. "So we had to change course a bit. Instead of launching as a public audio installation and printing posters as planned, we're launching online and sending postcards to people stuck at home who could use a message of love. Hopefully, we can bring people some comfort while also raising awareness. ASD kids and adults need support now more than ever."


*Archives of the Disappeared* is an interdisciplinary initiative that addresses the challenges of researching communities, social movements, spaces, literatures and lifeworlds that have been suppressed or annihilated through acts of colonial, economic, and state violence. Working within disciplinary practices (history, social anthropology, literature, and sociology) that rely on material and empirical research, where finding ‘evidence’ forms a core methodological objective, this initiative addresses the absence of evidence as a result of colonial, national, elite, and state
denial and suppression and responses to such structures by those targeted for erasure. This initiative will launch with an initial focus on the Middle East and South Asia. It will research innovative forms of documentation by survivors and descendants of disappeared communities and cultures, develop new theoretical frameworks and methodologies for archival and field work in the absence of archives, and build a network of historians, archivists, organisers, and artists across the region whose work offers a challenge to disciplinary practices.
For more details, please contact:
Yael Navaro, Reader in the Anthropology of Politics, Department of Social Anthropology, University of Cambridge, and Fellow of Newnham College yn213@cam.ac.uk
Chana Morgenstern, Lecturer in Postcolonial and Middle Eastern Literatures, Faculty of English, University of Cambridge, and Fellow of Newnham College cm894@cam.ac.uk


There are several key differences to a domestic partnership and marriage in California. On the surface, they are different ways to formalize relationships between two romantic partners. While they each have their pros and cons, the two offer their own unique benefits that can make either appealing depending on your preferences. It is important to remember that domestic parternships do have limitations when compared to a heterosexual marriage. We will discuss this further below.
Benefits Available in Domestic Partnerships
Domestic partnerships were initially created to provide basic legal and economic protections to same-sex couples. While marriage is now legal across the United States for everyone, individuals from all walks of life may still choose to enter into a domestic partnership as opposed to marriage for a variety of reasons.
Some of the top benefits offered in domestic partnerships include: A legal alternative to marriage Domestic partners avoid the “marriage tax penalty” which often forces married couples into a higher tax bracket Full legal rights and obligations related to raising a child born during the domestic partnership Partners are generally able to receive coverage on a family health insurance policy The ability to adopt a child born to a partner prior to the domestic partnership The right to bereavement leave The right to family leave for a sick partner Visitation rights in hospitals and jails
However, there are many legal benefits domestic partners lack that are available only to those who are legally married. For instance, domestic partnerships may not be recognized everywhere you go, even within the United States.
Benefits Available Only in Marriage Marriage is a federally recognized and legally binding affair that comes
with over 1000 benefits, many of which are denied in domestic partnerships,
including the right to: Inherit your spouse’s estate Receive financial support from your spouse Receive Social Security, veteran’s, and pension benefits through your spouse Transfer an unlimited amount of assets to your spouse tax free Sponsor a spouse for immigration Divide marital assets during divorce
While not technically a “benefit” of marriage, since matrimony is a more traditional and therefore familiar way of acknowledging a relationship, it is likely that you may encounter individuals who consider marriage to be more “serious” and acceptable than domestic partnerships. Unfortunately, people in domestic partnerships might find they are less respected than their married counterparts. Yet, both options have their pros and cons—what it ultimately comes down to is what feels right for you and your partner.
If you have questions about domestic partnerships or require relevant legal
advice or representation,
contact our Myers Family Law office in Granite Bay to request a free consultation
with an experienced attorney today.


Introduction
In 1683, the Qing Empire incorporated Taiwan as part of its domain and gradually established a “boundary” from south to north to demarcate the western plains from the mountainous areas. Offices were set up west of the boundary for administration as part of the Qing Empire, while areas to the east were viewed as beyond the reach of “civilization” and forbidden for traveling.
However, in the latter half of the nineteenth century, the gradual encroachment of Western powers in Asia led to disputes with Westerners on several occasions beyond this border established by the Qing government. For example, in 1867, a U.S. merchant ship was wrecked off the coast of South Bay in Hengchun and its passengers killed by indigenous warriors, leading to a punitive expedition by U.S. gunboats to the Hengchun Peninsula. In 1869, a British and German merchant militarized their exploitation of the plains around Nan’ao on the east coast, while Japan sent forces to the Hengchun Peninsula in 1874 and defeated indigenous peoples in response to an earlier massacre in 1871. In response to these events, the Qing Empire in 1875 changed its previous policy of “closing off the mountains” to one of “opening up the mountains,” beginning the construction of roads to the eastern parts of the island. The Qing also actively cultivated the land, grew tea, and harvested camphor in these areas beyond the border. Supported by military force, the imperial court engaged in actions of “offering amnesty and education” as well as “conquest and conflict” with the indigenous. Government offices and Chinese settlers made headway in the hilly and mountainous areas where indigenous peoples originally lived, bringing an unprecedented level of conflict and forcing the native people into a bloody battle for survival.
This exhibition relies on historical documents from the collection of the National Palace Museum, particularly archival materials about the Qing court’s external relations edited into The Management of Barbarian Affairs in its Entirety and Monthly Memorial Archives transcribed by the Grand Council. Combined with Taiwan in Maps from the collection of the National Museum of Taiwan History and images found in Proverbs for the Instruction of Peripherals in the National Taiwan Library as well as in 21 Bylaws on Pacifying Peripherals and Cultivating the Mountains from the National Taiwan Museum, they present a comprehensive record of this period in history involving contact between the Qing Empire and Taiwanese indigenous peoples.
To complement this exhibition, visitors are further invited to engage in the “write back” of these documents and find an interpretation and reasoning from a modern perspective of these historical texts from the Qing Empire.


In many centralized matching markets, agents’ property rights over objects are derived from a coarse transformation of an underlying score. Prominent examples include the distance-based system employed by Boston Public Schools, where students who lived within a certain radius of each school were prioritized over all others, and the income-based system used in New York public housing allocation, where eligibility is determined by a sharp income cutoff. Motivated by this, we study how to optimally coarsen an underlying score. Our main result is that, for any continuous objective function and under stable matching mechanisms, the optimal design can be attained by splitting agents into at most three indifference classes for each object. We provide insights into this design problem in three applications: distance-based scores in Boston Public Schools, test-based scores for Chicago exam schools, and income-based scores in New York public housing allocation.


"Lockout/tagout" refers to specific practices and procedures to safeguard employees from the unexpected energization or startup of machinery and equipment
Employees can be seriously or fatally injured if machinery they service or maintain unexpectedly energizes, starts up, or releases stored energy.
What are OSHA's requirements?
OSHA's standard establishes minimum performance requirements for controlling hazardous energy.


Israel has reportedly introduced a system called Identify & Alert (I&A) that tracks troops’ whereabouts and locations where they can be subjected to enemy fire in real time. This would give the Jewish nation a considerable technological advantage on the battlefield.
Israeli military forces have repeatedly encountered unexpected hostilities from various players, making it impossible to forecast attacks.
Israel has deployed the system on the fronts of Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria to counter threats effectively. Two top IDF officials offered the platform details, outlining the system’s current workings and future implications on the battlefield.
According to a senior Israeli military official quoted in Newsweek, “we [Israeli military] can identify all the soldiers with ‘Torch-X’ (a command and control system belonging to Elbit Systems Ltd).”
Elbit Systems Ltd. is an international defense electronics business with its headquarters in Israel that works on numerous defense projects worldwide. The company developed a range of air, land, and marine systems for both military and commercial use, including some of the most advanced platforms used by the IDF.
The Gaza Battalion of the IDF J6 and Cyber Defense Directorate’s outgoing commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Idan Hariri, informed the media outlet that they had begun a procedure of characterization, investigation, and development with the “Matzpen” Unit (Unit for Military Command, Control, and Operational Systems).
He went on to say that the technology can identify lines of vulnerability to anti-tank missile fire. Additionally, the Israeli military has integrated a computerized map with this system.
The device can instantly alert the situation room and the soldier on the ground when troops are approaching an area with a threat from anti-tank missiles. The Israeli military has evaluated locations down to a few meters to determine where they are vulnerable and where they are not.
The Deployment On The Battlefield
The report revealed that the system was first used in combat in August 2022 during Operation “Breaking Dawn.” During the three-day operation, Israel carried out roughly 150 airstrikes against the Gaza Strip.
Before Operation “Breaking Dawn,” according to Hariri, the IDF ran several drills to familiarize Israeli troops with the technology and the operating procedure. However, he pointed out that the IDF has only “proved that the I&A System saves lives” during the actual operation.
The Breaking Dawn operation’s objectives included restoring Israeli deterrence and undermining Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s capabilities to stop the terror group from attacking Israel. Israeli intelligence reported that PIJ intended to target Israeli citizens close to the Gaza border with anti-tank missiles and snipers.
The Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, which controls Gaza, stayed out of the battle. Israel also avoided provoking Hamas to evade a larger-scale conflict.
At the time, Hamas reportedly had no wish to obstruct Gaza’s reconstruction or its attempts to upgrade its arsenal after the conflict in May 2021.
The latest report noted that I&A System had been incorporated near the border with Lebanon, where threats from the Hezbollah movement and the Gaza front exist. Additionally, it is being placed close to Syria, where Iranian personnel and other groups with ties to Tehran have been reported to operate.
The system takes the place of the traditional radio communications check-in method. The units can converse and provide system commands using an internal chat that resembles WhatsApp, a well-known messaging service.
According to Lieutenant Colonel Mark Mendelman, the I&A System also provides information on the nature and scope of the identified alert and the type of terrain on which the IDF forces are operating to provide a comprehensive picture of the threat situation.
Lieutenant Colonel Mark Mendelman leads the IDF’s command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence (C4I) research and development (R&D) branch dubbed as “Sigma.”
Mendelman also highlighted the necessity of keeping an eye on the human factor. He said that systems are typically accurate, but there are human errors, and that’s the most significant disadvantage every time new technology is introduced.
He explained that the I&A System considers it, combining a complicated setup of redundant safeguards with a generally straightforward user interface.


A group of Democratic senators is urging federal regulators to review the crypto trading activities of fintech bank SoFi.
Shutterstock
In a letter to Michael Barr, vice chair for supervision at the Federal Reserve; Martin Gruenberg, acting chair at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC); and Michael Hsu, acting comptroller, the lawmakers highlighted the risk to consumers when banks trade volatile crypto assets. They also warned that SoFis crypto trading might be in violation of regulatory requirements.
SoFis digital asset activities pose significant risks to both individual investors and safety and soundness. As we saw with the crypto meltdown this summer, where crypto-assets lost over $1 trillion in value in a matter of weeks, contagion in the banking system was limited because of regulatory guardrails.4 In the event of crypto-related exposures at SoFi Digital Assets ultimately require its parent company, bank holding company, or affiliated national bank to seek emergency liquidity or other financial assistance from the Federal Reserve or FDIC, taxpayers may be on the hook, the senators wrote
The letter was authored by U.S. Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), chair of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, along with committee members Sens. Jack Reed (D-RI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Tina Smith (D-MN).
Given these significant risks, it is imperative the Fed, FDIC, and OCC ensure that SoFi complies with all consumer financial protection and banking regulations. We commend you for the work that your agencies are doing to protect the public from digital asset risks, the lawmakers wrote.
In addition, the senators sent a letter to SoFi CEO Anthony Noto, urging the bank to conform to U.S. banking law.
We are concerned that SoFis continued impermissible digital asset activities demonstrate a failure to take seriously its regulatory commitments and to adhere to its obligations, they wrote.
They asked Noto to reply to a series of questions on the matter by Dec. 8.


#CancelShushCulture
In Spring of 2020, UW Libraries closed its doors leaving students to adapt to new ways of studying and researching in an entirely virtual environment. When the Libraries re-opened, student use failed to return to pre-pandemic numbers. To investigate, we interviewed UW Fine Arts students to discover if their values aligned with their branch library’s. Unsurprisingly, after years of virtual college experiences, student values now reflect a strong need for socialization and community building from their libraries. It is our hope that these findings will allow UW Libraries to re-align their service model to meet these previously unvoiced needs.
David Frappier
MLISOnline
Katherine Mercer
MLIS


• To assess the prevalence and severity of acne vulgaris in young adolescent boys, we studied 219 black and 249 white boys in fifth through ninth grades in Cincinnati, Ohio. The mean age was 12.2 ± 1.4 years, with a range of 9 to 15 years. Pubertal maturation was scored as Tanner pubic hair stages (PH I to V) and pubertal stages (PS I to IV) that included testicular volume assessment. Acne was scored by number of comedonal (open plus closed comedones) and inflammatory (papules plus pustules) lesions. Comedonal and inflammatory lesions were analyzed separately and evaluated both as numerical scores and as grades (1, ≤10 lesions; 2,11 to 25 lesions; and 3, ≥26 lesions). Grades 2 and 3 were considered clinically significant acne. Acne became progressively more severe with advancing maturity. Mean acne scores correlated better with PS and pubic hair than with age. Black subjects were more mature than white subjects. Black boys in PS I and II had significantly more comedones than white boys; white boys had significantly more inflammatory lesions at PS I and III. Clinically significant comedonal acne was already present in PS I and occurred in 100% of boys in PS IV. In contrast, no boys at PS I and only 50% at PS IV had significant inflammatory acne. Midfacial acne dominated. We concluded that acne prevalence and severity correlate well with advancing pubertal maturation in young adolescent boys. Comedonal acne was more frequent and severe than inflammatory disease. Awareness of the extent and severity of acne in preadolescents and young adolescents may ultimately provide rationale for early intervention and thus prevention of severe acne vulgaris.
(Arch Dermatol. 1991;127:210-216)
Lucky AW, Biro FM, Huster GA, Morrison JA, Elder N. Acne Vulgaris in Early Adolescent Boys: Correlations With Pubertal Maturation and Age. Arch Dermatol. 1991;127(2):210–216. doi:10.1001/archderm.1991.01680020078009
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Stoughton, MA – December 15, 2017– Particles Plus is highlighting their on-screen Annotation feature, a unique method for recording notes associated with specific air sample records.
The Particles Plus instruments all share a common user interface, providing easy access to their exclusive, patent pending Annotation feature. These are the only particle counters and air quality monitors that allow the user to record notes on occurrences during a specific sample which can later be referenced on screen or in the downloaded data using the instruments feature-rich IMS software.
Applications in cleanroom or critical controlled environments include the ability to note when events occur in the cleanroom that have a direct effect on the values being recorded during testing and validation. These could include notations such as “Door opened during testing” or “Equipment being serviced”. The annotations can be up to 32 characters long and are extremely useful for later reporting. The Annotation feature also allows for a single sample to be excluded from the instruments ISO14644 or EU-GMP test reporting function, and integrates with the included reporting options.
Indoor environmental professionals enjoy using the Annotation feature to input a site or client name on the first record of any site visit, allowing for easy demarcation of the data from multiple site visits on the same day. It can also be used to list the name of the sample locations for specific sites that do not have the regular Locations feature entered in advance of their site visits.
For more information on Particles Plus particle counters and air monitoring instruments, their applications, technical questions, product specifications or pricing, contact Particles Plus today.


Consequences
Although locals, unlike tourists, often do not initially perceive marine litter as a visual problem, they are the ones most affected by its consequences. Due to waste accumulations, cleaner destinations are preferred and the cornerstone of coastal economic development, namely the tourism sector, including the local workforce, faces challenges that could have been mitigated upfront through appropriate waste management strategies. However, not only should a possible decline in tourist numbers, due to the diminishing vividness and beauty of beaches, be considered, but also the impact on human health and the environment.
Tourism Marine Litter
While monitoring of marine litter and its impacts is still limited, research has identified marine litter as a growing issue with effects on various species of fish, cetaceans, reptiles and invertebrates. About 85 % of floating marine litter and 45-95 % of surface marine litter consist of plastics, mainly generated within the tourism industry. Despite the existence of international strategies such as the "Regional Plan for Marine Litter in the Mediterranean", which supports countries such as Morocco, Tunisia and Egypt in combating plastic pollution in the sea through innovative measures, waste generation continues to increase. For example, tourists in Tunisia consume up to three times as much solid waste per capita per day (2.6 kg) as locals (0.6-1.0 kg). While tourists are likely unaware of the significant impact they are having on the environment, the sector suffers from reduced revenues due to beach clean-ups or waste disposal costs and a poor reputation.
Opportunities to prevent Marine Litter from Tourism
The key to the prevention of marine litter is to effectively distribute roles and responsibilities in waste management in the future. Not only the end consumer, in this case the tourist, but above all the producers and providers of services in the tourism sector must share responsibilities among themselves.